This invention relates to a connector for an electric part, which is used for removably retaining a given electric part such as an IC, so as to be subjected to transportation, storage, or electrical connection with an IC socket, other electric parts, a wiring board, or the like for the supply and receipt of an electric current.
A given electric part such as, for example, an IC is frequently required to be subjected to an aging test. For this purpose, there is a need of a provision of means for enabling an electrical connection between the IC and a socket or testing device. As a conventional technique for uniformly contacting an IC having a plurality of contact elements which are arranged in array at very narrow pitches, there is known a method in which a carrier retaining an IC and a wiring sheet which is in a superimposed relation with the IC, is prepared, and the very narrow pitches, at which the IC contact elements are arranged, are widened by the use of a lead pattern of the wiring sheet, so that they can be reliably contacted with contacts of a socket.
Heretofore, a rubber having resilient properties has been used as means for contacting the contact elements of the IC and the contact elements of the flexible wiring sheet under pressure, and the rubber is disposed so as to be able to press a contacting line between the contact elements.
The pressing means is adapted to obtain a uniform pressing force utilizing the resilient properties of the rubber which can smoothly follow the flexure of the wiring sheet. However, if the pressing means is formed of a rubber, a problem arises in that when the rubber is repeatedly depressed for a long period of time, it is permanently deformed, thus making it difficult to maintain an appropriate pressure contacting force. This problem is more manifest when the IC is subjected to testing at a high temperature because the rubber is prone to thermal deterioration.
Also, in the case of a rubber, since the contacting portion is compressed by its surface load, the compressive force is unduly increased relative to the pressure contacting force, and this is one of the causes necessitating an increase in operating force.